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Rangers’ wait for a first victory in this season’s Europa League goes on.

Prior to Thursday night, the Gers had lost seven successive European matches for the very first time and, while that streak has come to an end, they did not claim a much-needed victory, held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Braga.

James Tavernier broke the deadlock from the penalty spot, equaling Ally McCoist’s tally of 21 European goals for the club, chasing down Alfredo Morelos’ all-time record of 29.

This looked like being the decisive goal on the night, especially when Rodrigo Zalazar was sent off for gently headbutting Nicolas Raskin, only for Gabri Martínez to equalise for the ten-men Arsenalists soon after.

The match would end ten vs ten, Mohamed Diomandé rather softly shown a second yellow card by referee Allard Lindhout in injury time, as Rangers were booed off once again.

So, after five Europa League matches, the Light Blues have just one point on the board, probably needing to win their final three fixtures, against Ferencváros, Ludogorets Razgrad and Porto to avoid an ignominious early elimination, having finished all the way up in eighth in last year’s league phase.

This was only new manager Danny Röhl’s eighth match in charge, and he certainly has a tough job on his hands, so which summer recruits underlined why they cannot be trusted by the German coach during this latest poor result?

Nasser Djiga's poor Rangers form

With both John Souttar and Derek Cornelius suffering long-term injuries on international duty last week, Danny Röhl has no choice but to keep picking Emmanuel Fernandez and Nasser Djiga at centre-back, even though the latter once again let him down.

The Burkinabé international has, fair to say, not impressed since joining on loan from Wolves in the summer, very much at fault for Braga’s equaliser on Thursday, completely misjudging a ball into the box and allowing Martínez to slot the ball past Jack Butland.

Speaking during TNT Sports post-match coverage, former Celtic defender Johan Mjällby asserted that he would expect better from a 12 year old.

This though is not Djiga’s first high-profile error.

He was sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee before, later that month, running in the complete opposite direction as Romeo Vermant broke the deadlock just three minutes into the Champions League play-off tie, the first of nine goals Club Brugge would bag across the two legs.

Also speaking during commentary on TNT Sports on Thursday, when asked which position Rangers most urgently need to improve in the January transfer window, McCoist quickly answered centre-back, with Djiga clearly not at the required level, but which other summer recruit did not impress against Braga?

Rangers flop struggles again vs Braga

On Monday, Rangers confirmed that chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell had both been sacked, the pair widely blamed by supporters for the clubs, how shall we put this diplomatically, puzzling summer recruitment?

The most bewildering of their 13 new signings was the arrival of Youssef Chermiti for £8m, potentially rising to £10m with add-ons, making him the club’s most expensive signing of the post-liquidation era, having scored a grand total of, let’s count them up here, zero goals in two seasons at Everton.

The Portuguese under-21 international has got off the mark north of the border, on target during a 3-1 win over Kilmarnock, Röhl’s first Premiership match in charge, and the German coach has shown Chermiti plenty of faith thus far, making him a regular starter.

However, that could soon change, with the table below underlining that he did not impress against Braga.

Shots on target

Zero

10th

Shots off target

1

1st

Shots blocked

2

1st

Expected goals

0.09

8th

Attempted dribbles

4

5th

Successful dribbles

Zero

10th

Accurate passes

11

21st

Key passes

Zero

10th

Duels contested

15

3rd

Duels won

6

9th

Possession lost

18

4th

Touches

39

16th

SofaScore rating

5.9

28th

The table emphasises Chermiti’s difficult night.

He was successful with none of his four attempted dribbles, completed just 11 passes and lost six of the 15 duels he contested, as well as turning over possession on 18 occasions from 39 touches – essentially losing the ball every 2.2 touches.

Unlike at the back, Röhl does have options for his forward line.

Danilo and Djeidi Gassama were chosen to complete the front three on Thursday, with Oliver Antman, Theo Aasgaard and Bojan Miovski all introduced as substitutes, while Mikey Moore is nursing a knock.

Thus, while Chermiti continues to offer very little, he surely should be left on the bench for Sunday’s clash with Falkirk.

Rangers' £3.5m "colossus" can become the new Connor Goldson under Rohl

As Danny Röhl searches for his best Rangers starting XI, could his “colossus” in defence become the club’s new Connor Goldson, starting against Braga?

ByBen Gray Nov 27, 2025

Mike Yastrzemski made a "catch of the year" quality snag in Wednesday's Giants game vs. the Pirates. About 24 hours later, the outfielder was dealt by the Giants to the Royals right at the buzzer for the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, league insider Mark Feinsand reported.

Yastrzemski will be a good addition for Kansas City, especially with his glove. The Royals are trying to stay alive in the playoff race with a 54–55 record, while the Giants also currently hold the same record.

Adding an outfielder was one of the Royals' biggest needs when approaching the trade deadline. The team was looking for a player with experience to help conduct some outs and provide some strong hitting, too. The Royals hope the veteran Yastrzemski will be the answer they were looking for.

The outfielder has spent his entire career with the Giants since his debut in 2019. Through 96 games for the Giants this season, Yastrzemski is averaging .231/.330/.255 with 74 hits, 38 runs, 28 RBIs and eight home runs.

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة لمواصلة موسمه بعد الفوز على آينتراخت فرانكفورت ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

واستضاف ملعب “كامب نو” مباراة برشلونة وآينتراخت فرانكفورت، في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحقق برشلونة فوزًا مهمًا بنتيجة 2/1 على نظيره فرانكفورت بالمباراة التي جمعتهما مساء اليوم، الثلاثاء.

بتلك النتيجة، رفع برشلونة رصيده إلى 10 نقاط محتلًا المركز الثالث عشر في جدول ترتيب جدول دوري أبطال أوروبا. موعد مباراة برشلونة القادمة بعد الفوز على آينتراخت فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا

ومن المقرر أن يواجه برشلونة في مباراته القادمة نظيره أوساسونا ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ 16 من بطولة الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا”.

ويستضيف برشلونة نظيره أوساسونا على ملعب سبوتيفاي “كامب نو” مساء يوم السبت المقبل في تمام السابعة ونصف بتوقيت القاهرة، الثامنة ونصف بتوقيت مكة المكرمة.

Blue Jays outfielder George Springer was on the wrong side of a pair of controversial decisions from the umpires during Tuesday's game against the Red Sox. The veteran was left irate after being rung up on a called third strike on a pitch that was outside of the strike zone.

But what truly had Springer irked was the decision from third base umpire Scott Barry, who ruled that his ground ball with the bases loaded was foul. During the second inning with Toronto trailing 1–0, Springer laced a ground ball down the third base line. It touched the ground in the infield before passing over the bag and landing in foul territory.

Barry, without much hesitation, declared it a foul ball, much to the chagrin of Springer. Sprigner looked bewildered at the call, and Blue Jays manager John Schneider came out to ask the officials to review the situation, only to be told it wasn't a play that could be challenged.

Because no review was allowable, Springer was sent back to the batter's box and it was ruled a foul ball. Springer struck out looking on the following pitch.

Springer slammed his bat on the ground and shotued in frustation as he walked back to the dugout following the questionable strike three call.

Having just been denied a potentially bases-clearing base hit, Springer clearly felt as if he'd been wronged twice in a span of two pitches. And for good reason, too.

Premier League clubs have voted against the introduction of a salary cap in top-flight football, but a serious overhaul of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) is still being lined up. The proposals put to teams at the highest level of the English game would have seen previous financial regulations ripped up, but not every suggestion has received universal approval.

• Premier League vote on introduction of a salary cap

  All 20 Premier League clubs convened in a vote that took place on November 21. Part of that polling saw plans for a salary cap vetoed. It is reported that 12 teams voted against the plans, while seven were in favour and one abstained.

  At a shareholders’ meeting, a range of topics were discussed – including top to bottom anchoring, squad cost ratio (SCR) and the Sustainability and system resilience (SSR). A vote on SCR was passed, while SCR proposals were pushed through unanimously. Of the 20 sides holding a vote, 14 must give a green light in order for 

  Premier League rules to be changed.

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• Getty
  

  The 2025-26 campaign will be the last with PSR regulations

  It has been determined that SCR will replace the current PSR system, which limits losses to a maximum of £105 million ($137m) over a three-year period. With a fresh approach being agreed, the 2025-26 campaign will be the last under the PSR regulations.

  SCR dictates that teams can only spend 85 per cent of their total income on wages and transfer fees for players, coaches and agents. The plan has already been adopted by UEFA, meaning that English teams competing in Europe can only spend 70 per cent of their income on wages and transfers. UEFA’s SCR scheme follows the calendar year, but the Premier League’s version will mirror the domestic football season.

• What is squad cost ratio (SCR) & why is it being introduced?

  A statement from the league read: "SCR will regulate clubs’ on-pitch spending to 85 per cent of their football revenue and net profit/loss on player sales. Clubs will have a multi-year allowance of 30% that they can use to spend in excess of the 85 per cent. Utilising this allowance will incur a levy and once the allowance is exhausted, they will need to comply with 85% or face a sporting sanction.

  "The new SCR rules are intended to promote opportunity for all clubs to aspire to greater success and brings the League’s financial system close to UEFA’s existing SCR rules which operate at a threshold of 70 per cent. The other key features of the League’s new system include transparent in-season monitoring and sanctions, protection against sporting underperformance, an ability to spend ahead of revenues, strengthened ability to invest off the pitch, and a reduction in complexity by focusing on football costs.

  "The Sustainability and Systemic Resilience rules assess a club’s short, medium and long-term financial health through three tests – Working Capital Test, Liquidity Test and Positive Equity Test.

  "Since 2023, the Premier League and our clubs have worked collaboratively to develop the financial controls with the objective of maintaining the League’s value, protecting competitive balance and ensuring clubs operate in a financially sustainable way.

  "The process has included extensive consultation at Shareholder level at clubs, as well as senior finance and legal executives, and club working groups. In addition, independent economic and legal analysis was sought.

  "As part of the development of the proposed rules, clubs agreed at the Premier League Annual General Meeting in June 2024 to trial SCR and TBA on a non-binding basis. The shadow monitoring of SCR and TBA rules has also continued this season.

  "This enabled the League and clubs to fully evaluate the system, including the operation of UEFA’s equivalent SCR regulations, and to complete the consultation with all relevant stakeholders including the PFA and football agents."

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  Explained: SSR & top to bottom anchoring

  SSR consists of three prongs. One of those seeks to ensure that teams have sufficient resources to manage outgoings and any revenue fluctuations. The others focus on long-term financial plans and the health of a club’s balance sheet.

  Top to bottom anchoring (TBA) would have effectively seen a salary cap put in place. That is because those proposals limit spending on wages and transfers to five times the amount paid in prize money and broadcast revenue to the team that finishes bottom of the division. The Premier League could, as reported by , have faced legal action from players had anchoring been introduced.

Let’s lead off with a spoiler alert. The documentary—not unflawed, but quite a good one, on balance—is titled, provocatively, But the demise of Canada’s beloved National League team was not a murder (who) so much as it was a death from natural causes (what).

The film depicts a cast of heroes, including the universally beloved Felipe Alou, a very cool Pedro Martínez, Canadian star Larry Walker and an assortment of beleaguered fans whose loyalty wasn’t reciprocated. And there are villains—cloying David Samson and his former stepdad, owner Jeffrey Loria, and, to a lesser degree, the hapless Claude Brochu.

But above all, there were immutable, unsentimental forces at play. That is, the usual suspects: An unfavorable exchange rate meant that the Expos took in revenue in Canadian dollars, but paid players their ever-escalating salaries in stronger American dollars. A provincial government that—agree or disagree—took a stand that other cities did not, and refused to commit public money to funding a new sports venue. There were the revenues lost and revenues spent maintaining the old venue—Olympic Stadium, a charmless white elephant on the wrong side of town, built to host a few events for the 1976 Summer Games, not 80-plus baseball games a year in a flourishing pro sports sector decades later. 

Rule of thumb: When you play in a domed stadium and still face rain delays because the roof springs leaks, you know you’re in trouble. The Expos’ death? Olympic Stadium wasn’t the scene of the crime so much as it was the proximate of the crime.

Nevertheless, the Netflix documentary, which premieres Oct. 21, offers both a poignant, locally flavored love letter and an earnest post-mortem for a franchise that deserves better. The Montreal Expos’ last game was held in 2004 after a strange sort of three-way trade that brought MLB franchises to Miami and Washington, D.C., and eliminated one from Quebec. And more than 20 years later, countless fans have yet to work through their grief. Now here comes the film—explicitly geared to the French-speaking locals—that will provide a bit of balm for what remains an open wound.

The timing for the doc’s release works as well. Never mind that the lone remaining Canadian team, the Blue Jays, of course, are amid a deep postseason run. At a time of tariffs, rhetoric over a 51st state and “American betrayal” chilling neighborly relations, the story of a foreign baseball team, brash Americans and the winners-take-all realities of capitalism add resonance.

recently spoke to Montreal-based director Jean-François Poisson and producer Marie-Christine Pouliot.

The Yankees finished off a two-game sweep of the Rays in style on Wednesday as they blasted two home runs in the top of the 10th and then were able to hold on for a 6-4 win.

They also tied some impressive MLB history in the series as they hit an astounding 14 home runs in the two games. The last team to do that was the Cincinnati Reds back in 1999, which included a home run by current Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

New York hit nine home runs on Tuesday night and then hit five more in the finale. All 19 of their runs in the series came on home runs.

They Yankees have now won four games in a row heading into a key series against the Red Sox, who they lead by 1.5 games in the wild-card race. They are 4.5 games behind the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who lost to the Pirates on Wednesday.

Giancarlo Stanton had a pinch-hit two-run home run in the top of 10th on Wednesday night, after blasting two homers in the series opener. Later in the inning Austin Wells hit his second dinger of the night to give the Yankees a three-run lead.

Antoine Griezmann has opened up about the "mental" toll of Atletico Madrid's collapse in La Liga and the Champions League last season, admitting his "spirits plummeted" during the difficult month of March. However, following his contract renewal until 2027, the French forward is determined to achieve more with the club, targeting major trophies and aiming to finally exorcise the demons of his 2016 Champions League final penalty miss.

Griezmann reveals mental struggle after Atletico's collapse

Atletico Madrid's all-time leading scorer, Griezmann, has candidly discussed the psychological impact of his team's slump during the crucial final months of last season. Speaking to , the 34-year-old forward admitted that Atletico's fading challenge in both La Liga and the Champions League in March affected him deeply. Diego Simeone's team entered the month top of the Spanish league table with a two-point lead over Barcelona and Real Madrid. They were also gearing up for a round of 16 tie against their city rivals in the Champions League. Unfortunately for the Rojiblancos, their season capitulated in just over two weeks. They lost 2-1 to Madrid in the first-leg before suffering a league blow by going down to Getafe by the same scoreline. Despite a strong second-leg against Real, they were defeated in a controversial penalty shootout. Four days later, they lost to Barcelona and then drew with Espanyol. By the end of March, they were out of the Champions League and nine points behind eventual La Liga champions Barcelona.

"It was very tough for me mentally," Griezmann revealed. "Because I had so much hope, so many dreams, and March wasn't a good month for anyone; we lost La Liga and the Champions League. And my spirits plummeted, it hurt me a lot mentally, and that affected my game later on."

Griezmann confessed that this "mental pain" distracted him from his individual pursuit of his 200th goal for the club, a milestone he eventually achieved. "I wasn't overwhelmed, but it's true that it felt like a long process. Especially last year at the end of the season, when I wasn't focused on pursuing it," he explained. "When the 200th goal arrived and I got closer, in the end the goals just came."

AdvertisementAFPFrench forward aims for 'more' after contract renewal

Despite already cementing his legacy at Atletico with 203 goals in 461 matches and surpassing club legend Luis Aragones, Griezmann has no intention of resting on his laurels. Having recently renewed his contract until 2027, he is driven by a desire to achieve even "more" with the club he considers home.

"I want more: La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League with Atletico," he added. Explaining his decision to extend his deal early, Griezmann stated: "Because I want more. I still have many minutes left to play, plenty of legs and mental strength to play with and be someone important at the club. And I know I have to prove that to everyone, and I still want to be even more important."

Griezmann also acknowledged his changing role within Simeone's side this season, where he has been rotated more frequently. "Ultimately, you always want to play. But I understand that I have to be professional, that I have to set an example for all my teammates and then show the manager that I'm still ready to play, that I have everything I need to play and earn a place in the starting eleven," he said. 

So far in the 2025-26 La Liga season, he has made 12 appearances, scoring four goals.

Champions League redemption and persuading Julian Alvarez

A significant part of Griezmann's motivation stems from a desire to finally win the Champions League with Atletico and atone for his penalty miss in the 2016 final against Real Madrid in Milan. Losing 1-0 at San Siro, Griezmann had the chance to pull his side level shortly after the restart but saw his effort smack the bar. The game went on to end 1-1, but Atletico lost on penalties, with Griezmann netting his that time around.

"Yes, you always think about it," he admitted regarding the miss. "The thorn of the penalty in Milan will remain until I win the Champions League with Atletico."

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Getty Images SportWhat next for Griezmann and Atletico Madrid?

Griezmann will aim to translate his renewed determination into performances on the pitch as Atletico Madrid chase success in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Despite ongoing speculation linking him with a future move to MLS, which he acknowledges as a "dream" and "goal," his immediate focus remains firmly on Atletico. With his contract now running until 2027, the French forward has committed his short-to-medium-term future to the club, aiming to add more silverware to his collection and further solidify his legendary status at the Metropolitano.

Elite central midfielders cost a pretty penny in the transfer market in the modern day, but Manchester United are trying to find their next top talent in such an area.

Over the years, the Red Devils have previously been home to numerous incredible talents, with Paul Scholes one of the best midfielders to ever play for the club.

The Englishman made a staggering total of 718 appearances for the club over a 19-year period, subsequently winning every major honour available in the 1990s and 2000s.

He was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad that often dominated England’s top-flight, subsequently being a part of the squad that managed to win 11 Premier League titles.

However, in the present day, boss Ruben Amorim is yet to taste glory in the division, with the potential moves for numerous players potentially aiding his quest for success.

Man Utd ready big-money bid for new midfielder

Over the last couple of weeks, United have once again been labelled as one of the sides interested in a potential winter deal to land Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

It’s been reported that Amorim’s men could look to revisit such a move in the months ahead, with Fabian Hurzeler’s side once again expected to demand a fee in the region of £100m.

However, the Red Devils are likely unwilling to fork out such a fee, especially after rejecting a move for the Cameroonian in the summer after a similar price tag was mooted.

He’s not the only midfielder currently in INEOS’ sights, as Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton has once again appeared on their radar over the last couple of days.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim’s men are set to make a €100m (£87m) offer to sign the 21-year-old when the winter window opens on January 1st.

It also states that the Eagles don’t want to part ways with their young talent, but could be forced to cash in if a bid of such a nature is to be made in the near future.

How Wharton compares to Caicedo

As previously mentioned, big money is currently being spent in the transfer market on midfield talent – with Moises Caicedo the best example of such a scenario in 2023.

The Ecuadorian international joined Chelsea for a reported £115m two years ago – a then English record – but it has since been broken by striker Alexander Isak.

However, such a deal now appears to be an excellent one despite the mammoth sum forked out for his signature, with the 24-year-old currently one of the best midfielders in Europe.

He was named as the Blues’ Player and Supporters Player of the Season for 2024/25, with clubs like United no doubt wishing they had their own version of the midfielder.

Whilst landing such a player would also cost a pretty penny, the Red Devils fans could get their wish of getting a similar calibre of player if they complete a move for Wharton.

The Englishman has been labelled as a similar player to Caicedo by FBref, with the Palace star even managing to outperform the Blues sensation in numerous key areas.

Wharton has registered more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90 to date, arguably making him a better ball-playing option at the base of the midfield.

Games played

13

12

Goals & assists

2

4

Progressive passes

5.9

5.7

Key passes

1.7

0.5

Clearances made

1.6

1.1

Tackles won

1.2

1.1

Take-on success

43%

31%

Recoveries made

5.8

5.6

Whilst being composed with the ball is key in Amorim’s system, the manager is desperately craving a dominant ball-winner who can sit and conduct the play in front of the backline.

The Palace star has demonstrated just that, even bettering the Chelsea star in that aspect, as seen by his higher tally of tackles won in the middle third of the pitch this campaign.

Wharton’s all-round dominance over the former English record addition is highlighted in his better take-on success rate and higher tally of recoveries made per 90 – which has led to one coach dubbing him the “best English midfielder since Scholes”. It sounds a stretch but given the numbers and clamour from many Three Lions supporters to see him alongside Declan Rice at next summer’s World Cup, it’s easy to see why that assessment has been made.

£87m may seem a mammoth sum for such a young talent, but it’s evident that the Englishman has bags of ability, but not to mention the potential to improve further in the years ahead.

If he can replicate such numbers at Old Trafford, he would certainly become a fan-favourite, potentially emulating Scholes in helping the club create new history in the Premier League.

Cunha & Mbeumo hybrid: Man Utd keen to trigger release clause for PL star

Manchester United could sign another attacker who’s like a hybrid of Cunha and Mbeumo

ByJoe Nuttall 2 days ago

There was a common theme in the four wild-card series games that kicked off Major League Baseball's postseason on Tuesday. Three of the four winning sides received dominant pitching from their southpaw starters and the fourth benefitted from a very serviceable effort as well.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal got the ball rolling by striking out 14 and holding the Guardians to a single run in 7 2/3 innings. Chicago's Matt Boyd left his start in the fifth inning down 1-0 but the Cubs rallied for a victory. Garrett Crochet matched Skubal's line with three fewer strikeouts during a 117-pitch masterpiece. Dodgers ace Blake Snell put a capper on the night by taking care of the Reds with seven innings of two-run ball.

All told, lefty starters threw 28 2/3 innings while surrendering five earned runs and racking up 36 punchouts. In the cases of Skubal and Crochet, the electricity of their performances were through the roof and a reminder that both have a reasonable case to claim the title of best arm in baseball.

The quartet of performances led MLB Network analyst Chris Young to offer up a take that might be hard to completely fact-check yet seems legit.

"Today was the best day ever that I've seen with left-handed starting pitching," he said.

Young then asked purists to go back through the record books and prove him wrong.

On its surface what he's saying holds some water. Especially if extra weight is given to the magnitude of the games being played. It helps a lot that the baseball playoffs have expanded to the point where there are four games per day in the earlier rounds yet doesn't diminish the accomplishments.